


Blue Boy

by ForestofInk



Category: Death Note
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, Bisexual L, Demisexual Light, Depression, Eating Disorders, F/M, L rides a motorcycle, Light is the captain of the tennis team, Lot's of teen angst, M/M, Past Child Abuse, What more do you want?, but also a lot of fluff, it's the 'popular kid falls for school outcast' cliche
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-29
Updated: 2015-09-07
Packaged: 2018-04-15 12:53:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4607472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForestofInk/pseuds/ForestofInk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Light is the most beloved kid at school who is tired of his popularity but doesn’t know how to live life without the constant admiration and attention. He is displeased with his dull life but the “weird kid” with a bad reputation and an unfortunate nickname seems to be the perfect cure to his boredom.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Blue Boy

**Author's Note:**

> I've always wanted to do a high school AU! So here is L and Light as teenage dorks.

 

 

_Light Yagami was never one to break rules._

_That was why it came as a surprise to all when Light broke the biggest rule of them all on the first day of Junior year._

_He spoke to_ _**him** _ _and that's when things changed._

* * *

Light entered the relatively empty class ten minutes before the bell, seating himself at a desk near the window.

It was going to be a long day filled with new, nervous teachers trying to look cool for their students and older, jaded teacher going through the motions once more.

 _Going through the motions_ , that's what Light felt he was doing.

Something tugged at the back of his eyes and made his head feel like a room filled with smoke. A weight pulled at his heart, wrapping around it like a snake. He felt burdened by boredom, it weighed heavy on his shoulders. Trapped by certainty and predictability, nothing excited him anymore.

Light felt old at sixteen. He watched the other students chatter animatedly amongst themselves, briefly contrasting himself with them. They appeared so young and vibrant, bursting with hope and potential. Light was aware of his own potential, he had the power to do whatever he pleased. Yet, he wasn't excited like the others. The future, for Light, seemed so easy to predict.

His intelligence was a curse but yet, it was something he would never exchange, not even for a more exciting life. He would rather stay cursed.

Light unzipped his back pack and pulled out his supplies.

The feeling of shiny, new plastic and unused pens brought Light a sense of peace. He grabbed a black sharpie from his pencil pouch and labeled the cover of his college ruled composition book .He spread the book open, fingers gracing unused pages waiting to be filled. The smell of paper and the sharpened wood of pencils was soothing. New school supplies was always Light's favorite part of coming back, perhaps the only favorite thing about coming back to school.

As he labeled his supplies, Light waited for class to begin.

"There he is," the girl sitting across from Light whispered to her friend. It sounded like a warning, a cautionary sign that clearly said stay away.

Without lifting his head, Light knew who they were referring too. He felt the change in the room. It was like the quiet before the storm, sky humming with potential and electricity. Something to be avoided.

With only a few seconds left on the bell, a strange boy shuffled into class, appearing glacial and aloof. An over-sized black jacket rested heavily on his shoulders, his thin frame swallowed by the fabric. He turned toward the class, surveying for an empty desk among the sea of hushed students. Amongst all the faces, he caught Light's curious, wandering gaze and met him with black hole eyes. Light smiled politely at him.

The boy and his all-seeing stare stirred something in Light. Light coughed into his hand, and returned to the task of centering the already neatly organized supplies on his desk. He felt him approaching the empty desk beside him, moving past him like a silent phantom. He soon regretted smiling at him. It only encouraged the freak to sit next to him.

The boy settled in the desk beside Light in a crouch, looking like an unruly, feral child who escaped its care taker and wondered into the class. Light ignored him, turning toward the window as he cradled his cheek in his hand, his other hand twirled a fountain pen between its fingers.

His new neighbor didn't start any conversation, so Light relaxed, content with being left alone. But the giggling coming from the small group of girls clustered at the front of class put him on edge once more. He felt their gaze moving from him to the boy beside him.

He turned his head toward them. The girls smiled with wide, eager eyes as they patted the open desk near them, offering it to him as if it were a lifesaver and he was a man thrown overboard. Light declined the seat with a smile and gentle wave of his hand before turning back to the window.

Light knew people in the class, spoken with them and eaten lunch with them before, but at the moment he couldn't be bothered by greetings and questions about how was his summer. He kept his gaze out the window, becoming untouchable looking just like the boy beside him. Untouchable. That's who he was.

After a couple minutes, a teacher entered the class, effectively quieting the students to an awaiting silence. The short, dark-haired woman introduced herself as Mrs. Belfort. She was the AP Literature teacher.

"You've guys have been in school for long enough," she said as she passed out papers to the class. "And you're in an AP class so I'm sure you're familiar with class rules. Here's your syllabus. Read it over tonight and get it signed. I don't feel like wasting time on basic manners today. Instead, let's do something a bit more interesting."

Once everyone had their papers, she walked back to the center of the room. "Now, I would like all of you to get out a sheet of paper and pair up with the person next to you. This is a way to get to know each other. On your paper, I want you to write ten facts about your partner. Hand it in at the end of class. I have paper on my desk if you need any."

The class seemed reluctant but soon complied with the assignment. Light hesitated before bringing his desk closer to the feral child beside him. He wasn't in the mood to deal with others, especially the boy sitting next to him in particular. No one talked to him. Not since what happened freshman year.

Light witnessed the event, the memory was still vivid in his head. He hadn't thought much about it until now, with that boy in front of him. What happened was something the whole school tried to bury, even students collectively agreed not speak of it. Thus, he became the elephant in the room wherever he went. Something known but ignored.

Light felt the quick, spreading chill of goosebumps on his skin as he tried to push the memory from his head. Before he faced the boy, he put on a polite mask that would've made his mother proud.

"Hi," Light greeted once he got seated beside him. "I'm Light."

"I'm L," he replied in a voice much deeper than Light expected it to be. There was a faint accent to his voice but Light wasn't sure from where.

Even after all his infamy, most people still didn't know the boy's name. They settled on referring to him by his nicknames, Blue Boy or Boy Blue which were earned in freshman year art class when a couple of students splattered bright blue paint on his hair and clothes as a joke. The students who splattered him with paint claimed it was in tasteful reference to the painting they were analyzing earlier that day,  _The Blue Boy_  by Thomas Gainsborough. The name stuck.

The prank was before things changed. No one would try pulling a stunt like that after what happened. Blue Boy became someone to be left alone.

Light raised his brows at the one lettered name, it seemed to be another nickname. He hoped for an explanation but got none, "Alright, L. What are some facts about you?" He went straight to business. There was no need for purposeless conversation by some likely psychotic stoner kid.

L tilted his gaze to the ceiling with his thumb at his lip. He looked like an over-sized kindergartener trying to think really hard. Light waited patiently at his seat, pen poised ready in his hand, a bit unnerved by L's strangeness.

"I like sweets."

Light nodded. "I don't like sweets very much," he commented as he wrote the fact down. "Anything else?"

"I'm a Junior. I have a dog. My favorite dessert is strawberry shortcake. I like the rain. My favorite color is blue," there was a pause and his lips lifted a bit, it was a ghost of a bitter smile. Blue Boy. "…I speak seven languages, not including English. I like to travel. I enjoy mystery novels and ride a motorcycle."

"You can speak seven languages?" Light asked curiously. It seemed far-fetched coming from the dead-eyed boy.

"Yes, I speak Spanish, Japanese, French, Italian, Chinese, German, and Russian."

"That's pretty cool." He smiled. It was a charming smile used to win over girls and befriend others, it was an important weapon. One he wielded expertly.

L became a little more interesting with the more facts he revealed about himself. Light grew curious.  _Who was this boy, really?_

"Oh."

"Okay, so facts about me now," Light began. "I was born in Japan and moved to America when I was eleven. I have a younger sister named Sayu, she's in middle school. I know three languages: English, Japanese, and French. I've never traveled to a foreign country on vacation but I'd like too. I'm the tennis captain, tryouts are today by the way, if you'd like to join. My favorite color is red. The only junk food I like is potato chips, barbeque is my favorite flavor. I like tea. I want to work for the FBI."

"I enjoy playing tennis as well."

"You do?" Light said, surprised. It didn't seem like L was the sporty type with his gangly frame and pale skin. "You should try out." The sentence rolled off his tongue before he even realized what he said. As team captain of the tennis team, it was his obligation to convince people to join.

"I'd rather not."

"Why? We need more players on the team. You look pretty tall so that could definitely be used as an advantage."

Someone's height was always used as a valid argument to join. 'Oh, you're so tall you're probably good at sports' or 'you should play sports it would be a shame to waste all that height' were lines often used to guilt trip students.

L still seemed unconvinced. Light mentally groaned but didn't want to back out on the challenge of persuading a stubborn student. Also, there was a part of Light that was curious about L. The whole school knew of the event, yet not anything was known about L himself. He was a mystery better left untouched and Light was just bored enough to investigate.

"Come on, L. Just come with me to try outs after school so you can meet the team and we can see you play. If you don't like it then don't join the team. But at least give it a try," he tilted his head slightly to the side while softening the look in his eyes to appear more trusting.

L hesitated for a bit. "Alright," he sighed. "I'll go to try outs."

Ligth gave him a wide smile.  _Got him._

"Great. What's the last class you have?" He leaned over, trying to read the schedule L had on his desk. They were all AP and advanced classes. That was surprising, considering his disheveled, careless appearance.

"AP Biology with Mrs. Rodriguez."

"I have the same class. We'll go together to the gym after class ends, alright?"

L nodded in agreement and said nothing else, leaving Light to worry what topic to speak about next before they plunge into awkward silence. He wished everyone else would hurry the hell up so they can go back to their normal seats.

Light caught nosy students staring at them. A few of the shot him sympathetic looks and others gave him wide-eyed stares, seeming to warn him to get away from L as if the other boy was diseased with a deadly plague. Light just gave them a shrug and a small smile to show them he was alright and not being held hostage. They hesitated before returning back to their assignment, seeming to be worried about Light's well-being.

"So, when did you start playing tennis?" Light asked, watching L pull out his phone and begin to play Candy Crush.

"When I was eight," L answered as he played with his phone. He didn't even bother to meet Light's eyes.

_Rude._

"Where do you play?"

"I haven't played since I moved here from England when I was twelve."

"So, that's were your accent's from? Why is it so faint?"

L visibly stiffened, pausing his game and turning off his phone. Light unconsciously shifted away from him.

"I try to hide it, it brings too much attention. Since it's been summer, I haven't practiced in a while, you can hear it better."

"I understand. Before I even moved here, I practiced my American accent. I didn't want people judging me from the way I spoke."

"I can barely notice it…your accent."

"Thank you, it took a lot of practice."

"Well, your efforts have surely paid off," L said as he unwrapped a bright, red candy and plopped into his mouth.

Before Light could speak again, the teacher announced the assignment was to be turned in and for everyone to return the desks to their normal positions. Soon after, the bell rung, and students hurriedly shuffled out of class. Before Light walked out the door, he shot L, who was still at his desk, a smile.

L blinked.

* * *

As soon as Light stepped into the loud hallway, he was swarmed by students, all eager to know about L.

"What was Blue Boy like?" A tall boy asked for everyone. The group leaned closer to Light, ready to snatch up anything he had to say.

Light was quiet for a moment, his eyes sweeping the group surrounding him. In the corner of his vision, he noticed L slink out the class door. He stopped by the water fountain and met Light's eyes, as if asking 'So what are you going to tell them?' It almost felt like a dare.

Light knew L was probably used to rumors being constantly spread about him. Everything about him was twisted and turned into something ugly. Even though L didn't seem to care, the boy didn't need any more bad news about him spreading around.

"He was quiet," Light said, before he begun to walk away. The crowd kept asking him questions, begging him to answer but he denied them answers. "I'm going to be late to class."

Light would like to think there was a look of surprise on L's face.

* * *

 

It turned out that L shared most of his classes with Light. And in every one of those shared class, Light asked L to sit beside him.

Light couldn't help but be charmed by L's surprised wide-eyed expression when he first asked him. He ignored the incredulous stares he received when he asked but a part of him was reluctant about getting close to L. He didn't know anything about him- no one knew anything about him. Except for the fact that he was potentially dangerous, someone to be wary about.

But the whisper of a shy 'thank you' from L was more than enough to convince Light that he probably wasn't as bad as the rumors made him out to be.

There was almost sense of pity in Light's chest as he watched L take the seat beside him.

There was something about him. He was such a sad creature, pale faced and dead-eyed- nothing more than a corpse of a boy. Looking into his dark eyes felt like peering blindly into a moonless, starless night. There wasn't a flicker of life, no fire to warm the hearth. It seemed that fire had been snubbed a long time ago, leaving nothing left but ashes.

Light hoped the boy would find something to restore that warmth within him. Something to put the light back in his eyes.

But for now, Light could do nothing more but watch L navigate through the day with his strangeness and unorthodox mannerisms. From the way he stood, to the way he ate, L was different. To most, it would seem like L didn't care about what others thought and Light agreed on that. However, there was the way L would always keep his head bowed and stare with a dead look in his eyes. There was a sadness about him.

Light believed he found another meaning for his nickname.

_He was Blue Boy because he always looked so sad._


	2. Tennis Court

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Motorcycles, tennis balls, and thunder storms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I don't know much about tennis so I apologize if I use incorrect terms. Sports aren't really my thing even though I enjoy playing them.

 

There was something in the stretch of lavender light before sunrise that made L think of Monet paintings.

The beautiful mess of colors at dawn, so raw and vibrant, resembled an Impressionist painting. The infinite skies were like an artist's palette of pastel blues, purples, pinks, and oranges. This burst of color was the setting stage for the day, a grand opening for what is to come.

To start anew, with the rising sun, what a wonderful concept. But for a person burdened and tainted by their past, such as L, mornings never started as a clean slate.

For L, dawn felt like a strange limbo between the past and present. Where memories he wish he could forget resurfaced and memories he wanted to cling onto brought him the softest kind of sadness.

All these memories, seemed like different versions of himself. They all lead up to the present where he was eclectic, pieces of the past decorated his being in the form of scars both physical and mental. Some were good and some were bad and some were better left forgotten.

Thinking too much of the past had never done L well. He rather push those memories to the back of his head where they can haunt him from a safe distance.

But those emotions build up, growing and churning, turning into a storm. Eventually, it all comes roaring out like thunder and lightning and rain. Sometimes, the storms are brief and passing but other times they linger like the monsoon season.

Those long storms were the worst.

L lifted his helmet's visor to fully appreciate the colors of dawn. He inhaled the scent of pine and tried to push emotion down his throat like a bitter pill.  _It is better to live without feeling_ , he thought.  _Feeling brings nothing but unnecessary heartbreak._

The roar of his motorcycle served as a distant soundtrack for the morning. It was only him on the desolate road that early morning. He preferred it that way. There was a certain comfort in solitude.

* * *

L watched the rest of the sun rise through the humid, morning mist from his perch on the window sill. The grassy field outside his backyard was beaded with morning dew, glistening under the rising sun like jewels. Beyond the strech of grass, was a small lake. It too, glistened.

As he watched the soft, pastel colors of morning paint the field, he tried pushing back the dread in his stomach that rose up to clutch his heart and worry his mind. It was this same dread that resulted in a sleepless night and short ride on his motorcycle.

It was the first day of school.

The thought alone made him sigh as he mourned the lost days of summer. In those days, he was nestled in the solitude of whirring computers and the safety of his home. Being alone was how he preferred to be. Human interaction had always felt like a long, uncomfortable chore he rather not deal with, but now, that school has started, he was being thrusted into a world hormonal idiots.

L unwrapped a lollipop and stuck in his mouth but the artificial cherry flavor did not soothe him. Instead, it tasted bloody and coppery in his mouth. Anxiety twisted the flavor until something less appetizing. Despite the flavor, he kept the lollipop in his mouth, fiddling with the bright, noisy wrapper between his fingers.

He heard Watari's voice rise from downstairs, warning him about having only a few minutes left to leave. With a final look outside his window and a heavy sigh, L made it down the stairs to be greeted by Watari holding out his lunch for him at the foot of the stairs. The older man had a warm smile on his face, acting as if today wasn't any different.

"Don't be so nervous," Watari said, trying to hide his amusement with L's solemn demeanor. It was if the boy was going to a funeral.

"I'm not nervous," L said, taking his lunch from Watari. He smelled the warm scent of cookies wafting from the paper bag and filling the kitchen. It was a comforting scent. At least he would have a nice lunch today.

"Then why did you go for a ride on your motorcycle this morning?"

L stiffened but returned to his cool, impassiveness. "I needed some quiet before school," he said, pulling out the warm strawberry Poptarts Watari had left in the toaster for him. He poured himself a tall glass of chocolate milk.

Watari hummed with a knowing expression, earning a displeased look from L. "I'm fine," he insisted to his guardian between a mouthful of artificial strawberry pastry, crumbs falling from his lips and onto his jeans. He brushed them off hastily.

L finished up his meal, picking up his motorcycle helmet that rested on the table near the door as he announced his dreaded departure.

"Alright, then. Goodbye, L. Have a nice day at school," Watari waved from the kitchen counter, over a cup of coffee.

"Goodbye, Watari," L said as he opened the door. Outside, he was welcomed by summer sun. It warmed his pale skin, reminding him again that his holiday was over.

"Make friends!" Watari called once L was halfway out the door. He chuckled when he heard the boy groan.

* * *

Light Yagami was like the sun, beautiful and bright and impossibly stunning in every way.

L had trouble trying to read the boy. Like light refracting off a diamond, it was easy to get distracted by the kaleidoscope of colors and that was just the illusion Light wanted to create. His talent and good looks were the perfect mask to hide behind. Beautiful and sharp, just like a diamond or blinding, like the sun.

L had never expected his Junior year to begin with this pretty boy entertaining him with conversation and charming smiles. It was a mystery to why he treated L with such kindness. It was if they had been friends for years.

At first, L thought it was all a prank or a dare someone put Light up to, making him hesitant to accept the boy. But the chance of that decreased as the day went by. Light had invited L to next to him in every class they shared and when other students asked for some gossip, Light simply ignored their requests.

That still didn't earn L's trust…but it was a start. L still suspected Light had some ulterior motive for his odd behavior.

There was something about Light's smile that captured L's attention while making him even more distrustful of him. The brightness of it didn't match his dull, sepia eyes. He radiated warmth but there was nothing but coldness in his eyes. He had successfully placed a veil over the eyes of the entire world, convincing everyone he's someone he's not.

Light was a liar and a very good one at that.

* * *

Light shifted through his tennis bag to extract a fine-quality racquet, he handed it to L. "The school rackets aren't bad quality but this one is better. You can use it for today. I have another one I can use."

As L went to grab the racquet, Light's eyes captured the image of his pale hands. They were spidery but elegant in their daintiness. Like a porcelain doll.

The boy looked so fragile and breakable. Light doubted L had enough strength in his thin arms and long legs to be a good tennis player or be good at any sports for that matter.

"Do you want to serve first?" Light held out held out a fuzzy, neon green tennis ball toward L.

L answered 'yes' by silently taking the ball and making his way toward the court. Light followed behind, curious about L's playing skill but expecting to be disappointed.

Tennis players immediately stopped what they were doing to stare at the boys on the court. Like moths to flame, they gathered, excitedly whispering amongst themselves as they watched. They all wanted to observe the match between their highly-esteemed team captain and the ever mysterious Blue Boy. Seeing L in such a setting was like viewing a giant squid rise from the ocean's abyss.

Light walked over to his side of the court, ignoring the curious stares. He was bit annoyed that his teammates weren't busy testing the other students who were trying out. With a sigh, he brushed his hair back and brought his attention to the game before him.

Light settled into a squat, tennis racquet gripped tightly in his hand and body poised to make a quick dash. He watched L bounce the ball rhythmically against the green concrete before he threw into the air above him and-

_Where they fuck did that ball go?_

It took a moment for Light to register that the ball L had just hit had sailed right past him and hit the chain linked fence behind him with a loud rattle. Light blinked and forced a chuckle, embarrassment warmed its way onto his cheeks. He quickly it exchanged the feeling for anger.

"Wow, L. You don't mess around," He managed to say in as care-free as a way he could, adding a small laugh to the end of it.

"He who moves first always wins."

Light narrowed his eyes and bit the inside of his cheek. Within him, he felt the sudden need to win. He refused to taste bitter defeat.

And so, the game began.

It was a heated battle. Both players scrambled across the court in desperate attempts to catch their opponent's ball. Their serves and hits were aggressive, yet calculated. Sweat poured down their faces but they were too engrossed in the game to even bother wiping it off.

Light was stronger but L was impossibly quick on his feet, dashing across the court to return Light's hits in record time. He was using his long arms and legs to his advantage.

L played with confidence. Light could see it in the way he carried himself across the court and returned the tennis ball with powerful flicks of his wrist. He had mistaken the boy as meek and submissive, but here on the court, he can sense the need to win and conquer radiating off of L.

L was anything but submissive.

There was an excited noises coming from the crowd. The game was tied. It was anyone's win.

Light could see L was getting tired, becoming slower with his returns. Admittedly, he was getting tired as well. His lungs felt hot and heavy as he panted. He had to finish this game quickly before he could no longer keep up the pace.

Light saw his opportunity. L had made a sloppy return, the ball fluttered over to Light's side, where he gathered his strength and hit the ball with all the force he could. L dashed and leaped to get the ball but he was too late.

Light won.

The crowd watching them erupted into claps and hollers. Light's coach gave him a proud nod.

Both players were panting from the exertion, sweating dripping down their faces. The summer sun hung heavy above them, seeming to melt the soles of their rubber sneakers to the concrete. They both walked towards the white net in the middle to meet each other.

"Fantastic game, L. I haven't played like that in a while," Light smiled, somewhat breathlessly, as he extended his hand across the net, towards L. "I guess it's safe to say that you're on the team. That is, if you want to join.

"I do," There was a small smile on L's lips as he took Light's hand and shook it.

* * *

Light walked L out to the school parking lot to bid him goodbye and wait for his mother to pick him up. He followed L to a black speed bike parked under the shade of a tree. L placed his hand on the seat of the sleek motorcycle.

"Nice bike."

"Thank you," L said as he unlocked his helmet from the bike lock. Once he removed the helmet from the lock, he rested it on his hip and leaned on the bike. "I can take you home if you'd like."

Light visibly tensed, making L chuckle.

"Afraid?" He prodded. It was a challenge.

"Anyone with a sane mind would be," Light argued, crossing his arms as he eyed the motorcycle with distrust. "Do you know how easy it is to get killed riding one of those things?"

"Fear is good when riding. Cation keeps you from being reckless and making mistakes."

"Cation can't keep a car from barreling into you."

"Well, that's a chance I'm willing to take."

Light sighed at L's reckless behavior, shaking his head disapprovingly.

"Some other time, then?" L offered.

"No, thank you. I actually value my life."

L nodded but said nothing for a few moments, leaving silence between them. Just as Light was about to speak up, L spoke.

"Why do you call me L?" Light could sense a slight hesitation in L's question as if he was unsure of it.

"That's how you introduced yourself, so I supposed that is how you wanted to be called."

"Yes, but no one calls me that. Everyone just calls me Blue Boy."

"Do you want me to call you Blue Boy?"

"No…I actually really hate that name. Please call me Lawliet."

"Lawliet," Light repeated to get the feeling of the name. He thought it was a lovely name and it felt nice on his tongue. "Is L another nickname?"

"No, it's really my first name. Lawliet is my last name. I prefer Lawliet, L sounds too… cold."

"Oh," Light said. He was surprised that L was actually his name.  _What kind of boy is named L?_

"Alright, then. Goodbye, Light. It was nice meeting you," Lawliet said. He put on his helmet and slid onto the bike with practiced ease. The motorcycle roared to life, startling Light a few steps back, before quieting down to a purr.

"It was nice meeting you, too, Lawliet. See you tomorrow."

Lawliet waved farewell before backing out of the parking space and zipping out of the lot. As Light watched him disappear in the distance, he couldn't help but admit Lawliet looked pretty cool on that motorcycle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Motorcycles have slowly become a thing for me...idk. I'm too chicken to actually ride one but they're JUST SO COOL. Maybe one day...
> 
> Please comment, fav, follow!
> 
> Critique is always welcomed

**Author's Note:**

> I know, it's cliche as hell but I love this trope. So yeah, stayed tuned for the tennis game next chapter.
> 
> Please comment, follow, fav, etc. Critique is always welcomed too


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